Area guys stand out in openers

Let's play catch-up with some area products after the start of college football last week.

Bob Highfill

Let's play catch-up with some area products after the start of college football last week.

» Lincoln graduate Justin Davis didn't start in USC's backfield as speculated last Thursday at Hawaii, but he rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown in the Trojans' 30-13 win over the Warriors. The true freshman capped the Trojans' scoring with a 5-yard run in the fourth quarter. Senior outside linebacker Devon Kennard, whose father Derek Kennard is an Edison product and a former Super Bowl champion offensive lineman with Dallas, had three tackles, including one of the Trojans' seven quarterback sacks.

» Fresno State needed 4 hours, 26 minutes to outlast visiting Rutgers 52-51 in overtime and couldn't have done it without help from Malique Micenheimer (McNair) and Josh Harper (St. Mary's). They accounted for three touchdowns - Micenheimer on a 1-yard run and Harper on catches of 11 and 2 yards. Harper, a junior, had 14 catches for 94 yards, and Micenheimer, also a junior, had three carries for 1 yard and two receptions for 14 yards. The Bulldogs have seven area players on the roster.

Fresno State hosts Cal Poly on Saturday. Tracy's Jordan Williams is a junior defensive back for the Mustangs.

» Brandin Cooks had 13 receptions for 196 yards and two touchdowns for Oregon State, but the Beavers couldn't stop Eastern Washington's mobile quarterback, Vernon Adams, and were outscored 49-46 in a huge upset. Cooks, a junior out of Lincoln, tied Shane Morales (2008) and Jacquizz Rodgers (2009) for the second-most receptions in a game in program history and finished one shy of Mike Hass' record 14 against Arizona State in 2004. Cooks' touchdown receptions were from 7 and 14 yards. Oregon State will look to bounce back at home Saturday against Hawaii.

» Sophomore Shaquille Hill from Brookside Christian helped Eastern Washington with two receptions for 50 yards and two kick returns for 51 yards, with a long return of 29 yards. He caught a 27-yard pass on the first play of the Eagles' 57-yard touchdown drive in the first half, and his 22- and 29-yard kickoff returns helped set up scoring drives in the second quarter.

Eastern Washington moved up one spot to No. 2 in the Football Championship Subdivision poll and plays Saturday against Western Oregon in its home opener.

» Former Lincoln running back Phillip Ruhl returned a blocked punt 4 yards for a touchdown during UCLA's 41-point second half in a 58-20 win over Nevada, spoiling the debut of Wolf Pack head coach Brian Polian. The redshirt junior fullback caught a blocked punt by Kenny Orjioke and dived into the end zone.

The Bruins have the week off, then play Sept. 14 at Nebraska.

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